Cut Bank Pass Trail

Cut Bank Pass Trail is a 5.1-mile one-way backcountry traverse from the Dawson/Pitamakan network over Cut Bank Pass to Nyack Creek Trail. It is a point-to-point connector, not a walk from one car park to another. Allow about four to five hours for this segment itself; the steep, rough descent takes longer than the mileage suggests. Choose it as part of a planned through-hike with a clear exit or campsite.

The upper route crosses alpine meadows on Mount Morgan’s north face, with open views across the North Fork Cut Bank Creek drainage. Mountain goats use the cliffs and bighorn sheep have been reported on the alpine slope, though neither is a sure thing.

Beyond Cut Bank Pass, a steep shale path drops toward the saddle between Tinkham Mountain and McClintock Mountain. The route opens into a bowl, then traverses flower meadows and scattered subalpine fir before dropping through avalanche chutes and wet forest to Nyack Creek Trail. The full segment loses about 3,050 feet, so take the rough descent seriously.

Neither endpoint has road access. The upper end joins the Dawson/Pitamakan trail network; the lower end meets Nyack Creek Trail in remote backcountry. Plan a through-route rather than an out-and-back from a lot. Dogs are not allowed on park trails, and any overnight camping in Glacier requires a wilderness permit. High-country snow can linger in early summer and return in fall.

If you want a day hike on the Cut Bank side, Morning Star Lake is a separate 6.6-mile round trip from Cut Bank Trailhead. It uses the broader approach but does not cross Cut Bank Pass.